North Dakota, 2009

Blizzard in North Dakota, January 11 to 12, 2009

January 11 to 12, 2009 · NWS BIS · 36 events in 36 counties and zones

A significant winter storm impacted all of western and central North Dakota beginning Sunday evening, January 11th, and lasting through the morning hours of Monday, January 12th. A blizzard warning was posted well in advance of this storm, with the warning lead time around twenty hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 32 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
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  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
36

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BIS wrote it up.

A significant winter storm impacted all of western and central North Dakota beginning Sunday evening, January 11th, and lasting through the morning hours of Monday, January 12th. A blizzard warning was posted well in advance of this storm, with the warning lead time around twenty hours. The blizzard warning encompassed the entire National Weather Service Bismarck County Warning Area, 36 counties, all of which had a blizzard.

Periods of light to moderate snow and blizzard conditions, very strong winds creating significant blowing and drifting snow and near zero visibilities, forced numerous road closures and the issuance of no travel advisories by law enforcement officials throughout the event. Conditions improved northwest to southeast later Monday morning as snow ended and the strong winds subsided.

Strong surface low pressure developed across the high plains of Alberta during the day Sunday, then moved rapidly southeast across western and central North Dakota Sunday evening through early Monday morning. Isentropic upglide ahead of the surface low resulted in a band of light to moderate snow developing Sunday afternoon and evening west to east, with anywhere from one to five inches of snow being reported by Monday morning. The heaviest snow (three to five inches) fell from far northwest North Dakota through much of central North Dakota and into the James River Valley area.

As this intense Alberta Clipper moved across the state Sunday night, strong northwest winds developed. Wind speeds were 25 to 45 mph sustained with gusts of 40 to near 60 mph for several hours. The strong winds combined with falling snow and abundant loose snow already on the ground to create a widespread and prolonged blizzard.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Bismarck, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 11, 2:13 PM CST, 3 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 2:13 PM CST, 3 hours 47 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 11, 2:35 PM CST, 3 hours 25 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

36 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Divide

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Divide forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to four inches.

Blizzard, Williams

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Williams forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, McKenzie

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
McKenzie forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.740, -103.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Mountrail

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Mountrail forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Burke

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Burke forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to three inches.

Blizzard, Dunn

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Dunn forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Billings

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Billings forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.023, -103.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from a trace to around one inch.

Blizzard, Golden Valley

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Golden Valley forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.940, -103.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to two inches.

Blizzard, Stark

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Stark forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.811, -102.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to two inches.

Blizzard, Bowman

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Bowman forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very strong northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to two inches.

Blizzard, Slope

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Slope forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very strong northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from a trace to around one inch.

Blizzard, Adams

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.097, -102.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very strong northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to two inches.

Blizzard, Hettinger

When
January 11, 6:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Hettinger forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very strong northwest winds of 35 to 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged one to two inches.

Blizzard, Ward

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Ward forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to five inches.

Blizzard, Renville

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Renville forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to four inches.

Blizzard, McHenry

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
McHenry forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to four inches.

Blizzard, Bottineau

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Bottineau forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to four inches.

Blizzard, McLean

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
McLean forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to four inches.

Blizzard, Mercer

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Mercer forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Oliver

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Oliver forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Morton

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Morton forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Burleigh

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Burleigh forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.977, -100.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to five inches.

Blizzard, Sheridan

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Sheridan forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to four inches.

Blizzard, Kidder

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Kidder forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.980, -99.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to three inches.

Blizzard, Wells

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Wells forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.588, -99.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to five inches.

Blizzard, Pierce

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Pierce forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.250, -99.972 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Rolette

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Rolette forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.772, -99.841 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from a trace to around one inch.

Blizzard, Emmons

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Emmons forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.285, -100.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to five inches.

Blizzard, Sioux

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Sioux forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Grant

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Logan

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Logan forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.457, -99.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to three inches.

Blizzard, Stutsman

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Stutsman forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.979, -98.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to three inches.

Blizzard, La Moure

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
La Moure forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.457, -98.535 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from two to three inches.

Blizzard, Foster

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Foster forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, McIntosh

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
McIntosh forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.112, -99.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

Blizzard, Dickey

When
January 11, 9:00 PM CST to January 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Dickey forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.110, -98.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, combined with falling snow and existing loose snow cover to create widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions across the county. Storm total snowfall accumulations by Monday morning ranged from one to three inches.

What these are

Blizzard
Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, January 2009

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 150130, 150131, 150132, 150133, 150134, 150135, 150137, 150138, 150139, 150141, 150142, 150143, 150144, 150146, 150147, 150148, 150149, 150150, 150151, 150152, 150153, 150154, 150155, 150156, 150157, 150158, 150159, 150160, 150161, 150162, 150163, 150164, 150165, 150166, 150167, 150168.